Canadiens vs Hurricanes Prediction & Odds - 2/26/2025

The Montreal Canadiens welcome the Carolina Hurricanes to the Bell Centre on Tuesday night in what promises to be a compelling matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions.

Carolina enters the contest looking to snap a three-game road losing streak, despite maintaining their position as one of the NHL's top defensive units allowing just 2.77 goals per game.

The Canadiens, fresh off a 5-2 victory over Ottawa that ended their own three-game skid, face an uphill battle against a Hurricanes team that has dominated the head-to-head series with a 9-0-1 record in their last 10 meetings.

While Carolina's offensive trio of Sebastian Aho, Martin Necas, and Seth Jarvis continues to produce consistently, Montreal will rely heavily on Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield to generate scoring opportunities against the league's best penalty-killing unit.

The absence of several key Montreal players, including Brendan Gallagher and Kirby Dach, could prove crucial as the Canadiens attempt to end their five-game home losing streak.

This first meeting of their three-game season series will test whether Montreal's recent offensive surge can breakthrough against Carolina's formidable defensive system, setting the stage for what could be a tactical chess match at the Bell Centre.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes preview

The Bell Centre is set to host a compelling matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes (33-20-4) and the Montreal Canadiens (26-26-5) on Tuesday night, with the Hurricanes looking to snap their three-game road losing streak.

Carolina enters the contest with a dominant historical advantage, having gone 9-0-1 in their last ten meetings against Montreal, though they're coming off a disappointing 6-3 loss to Toronto.

The Hurricanes' offensive prowess remains evident, averaging 3.28 goals per game, led by the dynamic Sebastian Aho who tops the team with 56 points (20 goals, 36 assists) and supported by Martin Necas's impressive 55-point contribution.

Montreal, fresh off a morale-boosting 5-2 victory over Ottawa, aims to end their concerning five-game home losing streak, with Nick Suzuki (54 points) and Cole Caufield (50 points) spearheading their attack.

The goaltending battle will feature Carolina's Pyotr Kochetkov (2.55 GAA, .903 save percentage) against Montreal's Sam Montembeault (2.97 GAA, .897 save percentage), with both netminders crucial to their teams' fortunes.

The Canadiens' defensive struggles, allowing 3.40 goals per game (29th in the league), contrast sharply with Carolina's solid defensive record of 2.77 goals against per game (8th in the league).

Special teams could prove decisive, with Carolina converting 19% of their power plays while boasting the league's best penalty kill, compared to Montreal's impressive 21% power play efficiency.

The Hurricanes enter as favorites (-145) and, given their historical dominance over Montreal and superior defensive metrics, appear well-positioned to end their road losing streak, though the Canadiens' recent offensive outburst suggests this could be a closer contest than the odds indicate.